SAN JOSE, Calif. – In the Valley of Plenty, one in three residents does not earn enough to get by. As the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors contemplates creating an ordinance requiring its contractors to pay employees a living wage, a new economic report will be released Tuesday, Oct. 14, illustrating the profound and widening economic gap in Silicon Valley.

The report, “Setting Job Standards for a New Economy: An Innovative Living Wage for Silicon Valley,” lays out elements for the most comprehensive local legislation covering entities that do business with a county.

With the tech industry booming and the economy rapidly recovering, the average low-wage worker in Santa Clara County is falling further behind. Many who make minimum wage, or just above, struggle to make ends meet in Silicon Valley where the cost of living continues to soar. A living wage, by comparison, is a standard, not a floor, for what workers must earn to be self-sufficient.

The full report, available online on Oct. 14, addresses the underlying causes and presents a pathway to building a better local economy and strengthening communities throughout the Valley.

Comments about Santa Clara County supervisor takes Silicon Valley challenge are welcome. Off-topic comments and other violations of our community guidelines may be withheld or removed. Comments do not appear immediately after posting.